Paths to Choose
by Viscernal
Summary: The night that Ichigo was turned into a Soul Reaper a certain appearance changed everything from the story we all know. Will Ichigo's choice lead him down a different path? Will learning the truth of his heritage make him choose a side that may make the world crumble? Each choice one makes creates new consequences. No matter the choice. Ichigo/Harem.


Ichigo couldn't believe his eyes, Rukia couldn't either. True Ichigo had just awakened for the very first time as a Soul Reaper and had taken more then he should have of Rukia's powers, however that wasn't what had shocked them. What shocked them the most was that the fish masked Hollow was killed before either Rukia and Ichigo could blink. One moment it had been charging at Ichigo, the orange haired newly instated Soul Reaper, who was in fact ready to cleave it into as many pieces as he could, then the next instant it had fallen to the ground with a massive thud before it shattered and began to dissolve into dark spirit particles.

However that wasn't where their confusion stopped, now they could both hear approaching footsteps walking towards them, the hollow having knocked the street light out earlier made it difficult to see. The figures stopped just at the edge of the light that flooded out from the hole in the side of the Kurosaki house, Ichigo could just make out the colour of the white boots the figure was wearing.

"Damn, got here just a tad too late." A female voice sighed in annoyance.

"Who are you?" Rukia questioned getting back on her feet, her now white kimono falling loosely around her frame as she pushed herself up against the pole, having transferred nearly all of her spirit energy over to Ichigo she was finding it difficult to stand. An annoyed sigh came from the woman in the darkness.

"Your voice is really annoying." She drawled out. "How about you sit back down and don't talk any more, hmm? Sounds good to me." She finished in a chipper tone. "Now, you." A white gloved hand came out of the darkness and pointed at Ichigo, the orange haired teen shouldered the large Zanpakuto on his shoulder and tilted his head to the side with a cocked eyebrow.

"What?" He questioned in an annoyed tone, now that this business with the Hollow was done he wanted to check on Karin to make sure she was ok, however he felt if he did that now, while this woman was still around he'd have a hard time in doing so, he didn't know why he felt that, it was just an instinctual feeling.

"You're coming with me, now sheath that over sized toy of yours and come along, I don't have all night." She insisted with a slight huff.

"That's not going to happen. So yeah, sorry to disappoint." Ichigo said taking a step forward until he narrowed his eyes and turned to the woman's side to see Karin on the ground unconscious where the hollow had dropped her earlier.

"Very good." The woman clapped. "Now let me ask you a question, someone who has spiritual powers all her life or some kid who's had a butter knife for all of two minutes, who do you think will get to her first?" She questioned, the challenge evident in her voice however Ichigo didn't react to it like he usually would a challenge, he couldn't risk Karin getting hurt if he made a mistake. "Oh, you don't want to play?" She questioned in a teasing tone.

"Leave her out of this!" Ichigo growled.

"Wow, you sure do have a temper." She told him before more footsteps echoed through the night, the woman in front of Ichigo who was still shrouded in darkness made an obvious turn to look over her shoulder, Ichigo took the opportunity and dashed for Karin only to roar in pain as his body smashed into the side of the Kurosaki house, the wall behind him cracking at the blunt of the force he had hit it with, a blue arrow sticking out of his right shoulder pinning him to the wall.

"Damn it!" Ichigo groaned as he dropped the zanpakuto, the large blade making a loud clanging sounds as it hit the road. Raising both hands up he gripped the arrow in his shoulder only to shout out in pain as it burned into his hand before he looked up to see the woman, who was actually quite young and not bad on the eyes, raise her hand up fingers poised ready to click her fingers together before a devilish smirk crossed her attractive face.

_Click! _

Her fingers made that one simple audible sound before Ichigo's world was enveloped in a burning light as the arrow in his shoulder exploded, he would of cried out but the force of the explosion had blocked all sound from him being the closest to it. Everything apart form the ringing in his ears was heard. For all he knew he could have been screaming at the top of his lungs and wouldn't have known. The part of the house that Ichigo had hit from the impact with the arrow had been completely destroyed in the explosion, the house beginning to collapse down onto the first floor.

When Ichigo opened his mouth again he he glanced up to see the girl who had blown him up standing before him, something akin to an Arabic broadsword in her hand, her back turned to him almost as if she was protecting him from something. Looking out into the street he saw Rukia staring wide eyed at him, Karin by her side, safe. He didn't know how she had escaped the blast but he was glad that she had.

"Now isn't this interesting." A new voice said, this time male. The girl standing before Ichigo readied herself although she didn't seem anyway put out by the new voice. "You've caused a lot of problems here Missy." The voice spoke in a cheerful tone. Ichigo reached out with his right hand, his left arm badly wounded, he could feel the burns all along his arm. Gripping the woman's ankle she looked down at him.

"Huh? You're still conscious?" She questioned. "Funny that." Lifting her foot up Ichigo's hand falling from her ankle before she slammed her heel into the back of his hand, the heel sliding straight through making him cry out in pain. "Now be a good little boy and stay right there." She told him lifting her foot up again the heel sliding out of his hand as she walked forward. Ichigo laid there his body burnt and bruised, barely ten minutes as a Soul Reaper and he had been beaten worse then he had ever been before. He was edging on the verge of unconsciousness, his head falling down to the hard cold ground.

That was until he saw the zanpakuto off to the side, it looked like the blade was radiating heat but that could of just been his vision fading. Reaching out with his right hand once more he reached for the Zanpakuto. With all his strength he was able to move the few feet he needed too, to reach the blade. Picking it up, thrusting the blade into the ground he used it to prop himself up on his feet to where he was standing there shakily. Glaring at the woman who was looking over her shoulder at him with an annoyed look, he could now see the one she was facing. It was a man wearing a green and white stripped bucket hat and held a Zanpakuto in his hand and a cane in the other.

"Ichigo don't!" Rukia called out but Ichigo's face held a look of determination which shocked the weakened Soul Reaper. The woman turned to face him raising a hand to her face with an annoyed sigh.

"Didn't I tell you to put that away?" She questioned turning and walking up to him at a quick pace, Ichigo raising his zanpakuto up and swung it at her, it hit her risen arm and he all but thought it had passed through the flash however it just pushed up against her, the only thing it had cut was the material of her sleeve. Ichigo stared wide eyed as she ran her broadsword up along the side of his Zanpakuto emitting a few sparks as she pulled it back and forth a teasing smile on her face as she did so.

"You really should of listened." Ichigo watched as her broadsword sliced through his zanpakuto like butter, the large blade falling to the ground with another clang. His hands were shaking as he looked at the woman's face before his eyes shot wide as the broadsword stabbed straight through his stomach, his eyes shooting wide as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. "You were kinda cute too." She told him with a shrug as he fell forward onto her before she pulled the blade from his stomach and pushed him off herself. She glanced over her shoulder at the blonde man who was starring with wide eyes, he never thought that it'd come to this.

"Awaken Benihime." He called out as a massive burst of spiritual pressure flooded from both himself and his newly awakened Zanpakuto, his zanpakuto changing to that of a broadsword as he glared at the woman from beneath his bucket hat.

"Save it." She sighed rolling her neck from side to side. "The kids likely dead, killing me won't change that fact, if you could that is." She said offhandedly twirling her hand around. "You'll probably fight your hardest, then I'll fight my hardest and we'll end up destroying this area and possibly many others, probably taking civilian lives by the hundreds, maybe thousands who knows." She shrugged letting her broadsword break away into the air before she smiled rose her hand and waved before disappearing in a Hirenkyaku.

Kisuke ran for Ichigo's side and placed his fingers against his neck checking for his pulse. Flipping the teen over he rose his hands up over his stomach, his hands beginning to glow green from the healing Kido spell. Ichigo wasn't dead like the Quincy had said, he was just nearing death. He had watched as Ichigo had turned into a Soul Reaper, ready to step in had he needed any help with the Hollow, what he wasn't expecting was the arrival of the Quincy. She was strong, undoubtedly so, he doubted that even with Shikai he could defeat her, she wasn't just the run of the mill Quincy that had survived after so long, no she was a real Quincy, someone to be feared.

"Miss Kuchiki, how are you?" Kisuke questioned as he was able to stabilise Ichigo, however kept healing as he talked to the other Soul Reaper.

"Y-You're Kisuke Urahara." Rukia said with wide eyes, remembering the name of his Zanpakuto, it was how she had identified him. Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihouin had run from the Soul Society over a hundred years ago, never to be heard from again after their betrayal.

"I'm glad my reputation proceeds me." Kisuke chuckled as he let out a tired sigh seeing Ichigo's strained face before glancing over to Rukia to see her sitting Karin up and checking her over to make sure she was alright. "She'll be fine, maybe a bruise or two but nothing life threatening." Kisuke explained to the weakened soul reaper.

"What the hell just happened here?" She questioned making Kisuke sigh. "Who was that woman?"

"It's a long story." Kisuke told her. "It'd be best if we have this conversation over some tea no?" He smiled before picking Ichigo up. "I'm sure he has a great many questions for the both of us when he wakes up." He said lifting Ichigo up and placing him over his shoulder. _"I doubt that's the last we'll see of that Quincy... she had a reason of being here and she didn't accomplish that goal." _Glancing at the orange haired teen now slung over his shoulder. _"Isshin has kept many secrets from you Ichigo, both about himself and your mother, I think they'll come to light long before Isshin ever wanted them too."_ Rukia made sure that Karin was situated safely in the house before following after Kisuke, not knowing what to expect from the events that had transpired that night.


End file.
